BOSTON

With one swing, David Ortiz tied the game and helped the Boston Red Sox send the AL championship series to Detroit tied one game apiece.

Ortiz’s grand slam erased an eighth-inning deficit and ended Detroit’s unprecedented run of pitching dominance, then Jonny Gomes scampered around the bases with the game-winning run in the ninth to give Boston a 6-5 victory over the Tigers on Sunday night.

“We need it, man. We need start some momentum going on,” Ortiz said. “The whole regular season, you haven’t seen a team shutting us down for 14, 15 straight innings like they have the past couple of days. If you look at the way they’ve been pitching, (it’s) unbelievable. It’s up to us make an adjustment.”

One night after Anibal Sanchez and four relievers came within two outs of the first combined postseason no-hitter in baseball history, Max Scherzer struck out 13 and held Boston hitless for 5.2 innings. But the Red Sox loaded the bases against three relievers in the eighth and then closer Joaquin Benoit came in to face Ortiz.

The Red Sox designated hitter lined the first pitch into the glove of the Red Sox bullpen catcher, sending right-fielder Torii Hunter head-first over the chesthigh wall after it. Hunter came out only after his teammates had waved for the Detroit medical staff to come out and help him.

“I jumped up. I thought I had a beat on it,” said Hunter, who came up in the Minnesota Twins organization with Ortiz and remains friends with the Red Sox slugger. “Next thing, I know I’m falling over the fence.”

Advertisement

The fans waited until the trainers verified that Hunter was OK to start chanting, “Papi!” and call Ortiz out of the dugout for a curtain call. It was the first career postseason grand slam for a star of the 2004 playoff run that ended in Boston’s first World Series title in 86 years.

Koji Uehara retired the Tigers in order in the top of ninth, then Rick Porcello came on for the bottom half. He gave up a leadoff infield single that left Gomes at second when shortstop Jose Iglesias threw the ball into the Boston dugout.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a foul popup, but stayed atbat when it glanced off first baseman Prince Fielder’s glove when he got tangled up with a fan.

Gomes moved to third on a wild pitch, and then Saltalamacchia hit one through the drawn-in infield to drive in the game-winner.

Game 3 of the ALCS is in Detroit on Tuesday, when Justin Verlander faces Boston’s John Lackey.


Comments are not available on this story.